


Ties That Bind

by EriGure



Series: Hanging Balance [1]
Category: Granblue Fantasy (Video Game)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Fire Emblem Fusion, Gen, Tags will update as we go, more or less "sandy is raised by the four primarchs" au, no beta we die like primals
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-24
Updated: 2020-06-24
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:21:28
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,271
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24896095
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EriGure/pseuds/EriGure
Summary: "Lady Michael took a sip at her tea and let out a chuckle. “Go easy on him, Malluel,” she said finally, “he regenerates more slowly than the warriors do.”Sandalphon bowed his head in shame. “Does that make me weak, Milady?”“No,” his Lady Mentor smiled reassuringly, “it just means you’re cooped up in this cocoon for too long. If anything, you’ve shown improvement every time I visit you, and I’m confident that you will be a fine angel in time.”What Makes the Sky Blue - Fire Emblem Fates AU
Series: Hanging Balance [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1801471
Comments: 2
Kudos: 11





	Ties That Bind

The shaded garden had always been basked in sunlight, or so Sandalphon had known all his life. The light shone through every nook and cranny, lighting up the bushiest of scrubs, sparkling the smallest of dewdrops, warming the shadiest of corners. Must be Lord Lucifer’s doing somehow, as the garden was among the many of His domains, and the Lord of Light had always been radiant with light and warmth whenever he saw Him. 

Right now, however, was not the time to daydream. Especially not when Lady Michael could aim her spear at him at any moment.

“Charge!”

Too late. The spear had hit his shoulder.

“Sandalphon, focus!” his Mentor yelled, “What if you’re in the middle of a war?”

“Apologies, Lady Michael,” he bowed his head, shoulder still hurting. In times like these he reminded himself not to anger Her, but he would soon forget. “I was simply lost in thought.”

“Would you say that when you were felled?” 

He shook his head, and She smirked. That was not a good smirk. “As I thought.” and charged at him again. This time, he barely parried Her attack with his sword.

“Good.” Even in training the Lady of Fire never held back her powerful strikes. Her smirk turned from scheming to prideful. “But your footing is off, Sandalphon. And you’re too slow!” 

She then proceeded to sweep him off his feet. That had hurt, but that didn’t mean he would stop trying. Weapon disadvantage was already annoying as it was, but he had proposed a challenge and she had accepted. This was a huge mistake, he soon realised, as for the majority of the battle all he did was try to parry and dodge Her attacks. He faintly heard Her chastise him for being sloppy between Her attacks, but focusing on not getting hit was hard enough as it was. His footing may be off again, and frankly, he didn’t have the time to care. That soon to bite him in the ass later on - quite literally so - as he slipped and fell off his feet. At least that was better than falling face flat that one time She hit his stomach.

He huffed out a tired breath, reeling over his painful muscles, when a hand reached out to him.

“That’s enough for today,” his Lady Mentor smiled as he took Her hand and let Her pull him up. “Good job. Now let us head inside, I have told Halluel to make your favourite dessert.”

His heart did a little leap at that. He always adored Halluel’s desserts after all.

* * *

He never realised Lady Michael had dislocated his shoulder this time until Halluel helpfully pointed out and healed him with her staff. He winced every time her Recover spell hit his skin and shoulder blades, which apparently amused her twin angel as Malluel snickered every time he made a squeak. 

Lady Michael took a sip at her tea and let out a chuckle. “Go easy on him, Malluel,” she said finally, “he regenerates more slowly than the warriors do.”

Sandalphon bowed his head in shame. “Does that make me weak, Milady?”

“No,” his Lady Mentor smiled reassuringly, “it just means you’re cooped up in this cocoon for too long. If anything, you’ve shown improvement every time I visit you, and I’m confident that you will be a fine angel in time.”

The dessert in his mouth became so much sweeter at that. 

“Oh dear, milady,” Halluel’s laugh rang in his ears, “you’re making him blush!”

“But it’s the truth, no?” Malluel could barely hold her snicker, “Don’t you agree, Hal? He does show great promise, always helping us with those heavy books without breaking a sweat.”

“Oh that’s right! And he helped carry all the supplies too.” Halluel cooed, and patted his head. “Such a good boy we’re raising, don’t you agree, Lady Michael?”

“Like I said, a fine angel in the making!” his Lady Mentor let out a laugh, proud and clear. “Keep at it and you might be helping me with my missions soon!”

That made the smallest angel blush even more. Lady Michael was a high-ranking lieutenant among the Primarchs, and Lord Lucifer’s trusted advisor second only to his right-hand man Belial. From what he heard from Her stories, Her missions would involve critical terrains and precarious criminals which only She could handle with - some were so challenging that Her assistants Halluel and Malluel were sometimes involved in intelligence and espionage tasks. To assist her would be his greatest joy in the world.

Well, other than having Lord Lucifer around. But as the skyfarers say, the Supreme Primarch had “bigger fish to fry” than tending to an insignificant little angel.

His Lady Mentor’s stories were not often trifling, however She might have him believed. She would speak fondly of the skyfarers who lent Her their strength, how courageous and resilient they were despite their small stature and limited lifespan. She would tell him, how they used the Star Lord’s greatest war machines and turned them into tools to expand their horizons, how they rebuilt their homes from the husk of The War and bonded for harmony and stability, how their kind gesture went a long way. Her eyes would twinkle as She told him those stories, and She smiled as he listened to Her in awe - if She had hoped for him to love humanity as She did, he supposed Her plan had worked. 

Halluel’s tapping on his shoulder broke him from his trance.

“That should do it!” the messenger angel exclaimed. “If it hurts, just come to me and I’ll patch you up in a jiffy!”

“It has been fun, meeting you all, but I have to get back to work,” Lady Michael lowered Her teacup back to the saucer and stood up to leave. “Sandalphon, Gabriel told you to meet her at the Astronomical Tower in a moment. Try not to keep her wait for long.”

He stood up. “Then I shall meet her at once… after I help Halluel and Malluel clean up.”

“That’s a good angel,” She smiled as She headed for the gate. “Same time tomorrow?”

“Yes, I shall see you then.”

* * *

His day went by with a blur, attending Lord Raphael’s healing lessons, helping Lord Uriel with His signature beef stew and engaging in small talk with Lord Lucifer over brewed coffee. Time flew fast, not dissimilar to Lord Raphael’s swift arrows; a chilling wind signaled nightfall, ruffling the vine leaves that climbed the pavilion pillars. He bid Lord Lucifer farewell and, as the Supreme Primarch disappeared from his sight, headed towards the astronomy tower.

The tower was adorned with glass windows with a full view of the sky above. Tonight, the sky was full of stars, their ephemeral lights flickering splendidly among the pitch-black screen. 

_ You are the ocean’s grey waves _

Lady Gabriel’s song resounded through the empty hall, flowing like the waters She maneuvered with Her hands, Her voice sweet and inviting. The small angel could not help but sang along.

_ Destined to seek life beyond the shore just out of reach _

“Oh, Sandy, you’re here!” She chimed and smiled at him.

“Milady,” he bowed, “Lady Michael told me you’ve been expecting my presence.”

“Indeed I am.” the Primarch of Water beamed and held his hand, “Come, Sandy.”

She led him to sit beside a fountain situated at the middle of the hall. The Adjutant had had it built since eons ago - whatever reason He had at the time, He wouldn’t tell a soul. The other angels thought it merely for decor, but it had provided them the perfect place to practice magic.

The Lady Primarch playfully reached Her hand to the water, and Sandalphon followed suit. The further he reached, the more he felt water flowing through his fingers, the more he heard water resonating through his eardrums. 

_ Yet the waters ever change _

She sang softly, Her voice drifting with the waters, and he followed suit.

_ Flowing like time  _

The rippled of the fountain stilled as the reflection changed from the starry sky into a lakeside.

_ The path is yours to climb. _

“Well, what are you waiting for?” The Archangel asked, already letting Herself neck-deep in the water, “Let’s dive in!”

With a nod, he stepped into the water, one foot at a time, and let himself drift away with the ripples. The deeper he dived, the clearer the scenery appeared on the other side. Soon a light engulfed him, blindingly so.

He opened his eyes.

He was by a lake - the exact lakeside he saw in the reflection - with Lady Gabriel sitting on one side of the bridge, dangling Her feet above the surface. He walked as the ripples cleared a path to the bridge and took a seat beside the Primarch. 

“The water accepts you.” She murmured.

“Pardon?”

“The water accepts you,” She repeated, “it resonates with you, and follows your soul.”

His feet touched the surface and the ripples washed over his toes, as if embracing them. 

“I see.”

“That’s a good sign.” She smiled and pinched his cheek. “That means you’re doing pretty well! And you deserve a reward!”

“I am no pet, Milady.”

“Oh this is no reward for kids,” She laughed, “Promise me not to tell Mika I gave you this, okay?”

She took out a glass bottle and two crystal vessels. Inside the bottle was a clear, transparent liquid, shimmering under the blinding sunlight. 

“The skydwellers call this alcohol, but I like the name  _ nectar  _ a bit more,” She explained and filled the two vessels with said liquid, “and it was so tasty I just had to get some home. Come on, try some!” 

She extended a vessel to the smaller angel, inviting. He accepted the offered vessel with a nod and gulped down the liquid in one go. The liquid washed down his throat, grazing his mouth with scathing hot burns and sending freezing chills down his spine. At least he had understood the “magic” part of this… potion, whatever it was - the “tasty” part, not so much, as all he could feel was a burning sensation from his throat down to his spine.

The Primarch let out a small chuckle.

“Oh, poor dear Sandy,” She filled his vessel with clear liquid from thin air - this, he reckoned it was plain water - and urged him to drink from it, “You’re not supposed to swallow it all in one go. Take it in slowly, let it embrace you - like the water does.”

The water helped cool his throat, yet his spine was still reeling from the shock. “I do not know about that, Milady.”

“Try again,” She poured him another helping, “Drink slowly this time, alright?”

He obeyed, and took in the liquid as instructed. The scathing hot sensation dissipated; instead, warmth engulfed him little by little, leaving a spicy yet tangy taste at the tip of his tongue. The hot liquid slipped down his throat, spreading warmth and euphoria all over his veins.

“Magical isn’t it?” The Lady Primarch let out a happy sigh. 

“Agreed.”

Lady Gabriel savoured Her share of the liquid and eyed the sparkling water near the horizon. “Whenever I feel exhausted, I would always come here with a bottle of this  _ nectar _ . I’ve had different kinds before this, and the tastes surprise me all the time.” She winked at him, “Mika wouldn’t mind me drinking this, but I don’t know what she would feel about me sharing this with you, so… Keep this a secret between us, okay?” 

“And…” She looked down at the rippled dangling near their feet playfully, “Someday you would bear the weight of the world, and there are occasions that you would feel as if it would crush your soul and break you.” She sighed, worried. “When that happens, when you need respite and solace… Sing the song I taught you and call for this place.”

“The waters will always welcome you here, my dear. Treat this as your home, always.”

* * *

He would often dream of the Archangel Wars, his Lord and Lady Primarchs fighting against a hoard of fallen angels, gracefully striking them down one by one. The Sword of Valorblaze basking in holy flames, burning the flesh of its enemies. The Wand of Charmtide healing its allies with flowing waters and drowning its enemies with freezing ice. The Ring of Wandergale shooting arrows with lighting speed. The Gauntlet of Proudearth crushing the Fallen, plunging them back to the lands below. He would also gaze at the Supreme Primarch’s blinding light emitting from His wings, His Blade purging the evils and banishing them to Pandemonium.

He would have that dream every single night, and would wake up with ragged breaths and shivers down his spine. Just a nightmare, he would think. Lord Lucifer had limited him to the shaded garden, and had forbidden him from engaging in small battles, let alone large-scale wars. By logic, there was no way any harm would come his way.

This time, when he opened his eyes, he saw darkness.

He rubbed his eyes and took another look. There is no mistaking the deafening darkness and the biting sensation from the glacial mountains afar. Pandemonium.

This wasn’t merely a nightmare. 

This was his reality.

* * *

Twin messenger angels flew at full speed across the Holy Grounds. No flying or running in the Halls, the Astrals would tell them, but they couldn’t care less. They stopped at the crimson door, throwing it open.

“Lady Michael,” Halluel started, “we bring upon terrible news.”

“It’s about Sandalphon.” Malluel continued, her voice serious. “The Fallen has come for him. He’s been kidnapped.”


End file.
